Queen’s Park 3 Stirling University 0

Head Coach Craig Joyce made four changes to Sundays starting XI – Lauren Grant, Yasmin Boyce, Taylor Davis and Sarah MacLeod were in from the start replacing Chloe Gibney, Hannah Fulton, Jaya Gill and Abbi McDonald. Newest recruit Carla Todd was named on the bench as Rachael O’Neill also returned to the matchday squad.

Queen’s Park looked up for the game from the off as the start of the game saw the Spiders having lots of the ball and pressure towards the Stirling University goal. The visitors weren’t going to make it easy and their committed defending limited Queen’s to half chances and strikes from distance.

18 minutes in, Sarah MacLeod forced a great save from Victoria Scarratt in the away goal as she shot from the corner of the six yard box after Nicole Cairney picked her out with a great pass. As the first half progressed, Stirling University settled into the game limiting Queen’s to few clear chances but failing to threaten themselves as Lauren Grant had a quiet 45 minutes. Cairney, Leah Daly, Taylor Davis and Cailtin McKee all had chances to notch the first goal but the sides went in at the break level.

Half Time: Queen’s Park 0-0 Stirling University

The half time inspiration from Iain Ferrie, Gill Sloey and Craig Joyce paid dividends before the trio had even managed to sit down in the dugout. Less than a minute after the restart, a Taylor Davis pass was missed by the Stirling University defender allowing Abby Callaghan to race towards the goal and calmly finish for her 11th league goal of the season.

On the 51st minute a strike from Mariluz Sanchez from the edge of the box looked to give Stirling University a route back into the game but it was never troubling Grant. Shortly after, the Spiders almost made it 2. An excellent pass from Daly picked out MacLeod but she couldn’t get a connection on the ball. Before there was time to dwell on the missed chance, MacLeod gave Queen’s the 2 goal lead they deserved. Ellie Kane delivered a pin-point corner for MacLeod to knock home – scoring her first league goal of the season.

Eleanor Smith almost made it 3 after playing a 1-2 pass with the Stirling University crossbar, but Scarratt was there to prevent Smith from netting. It wouldn’t be long before it was 3. Joyce made a double chance seeing Abbi McDonald and newest signing Carla Todd enter the field replacing McKee and MacLeod. 19 seconds later, McDonald crossed for Todd who tapped into the net from 6 yards.

Stirling University searched for a goal and it may have came had Grant not been alert at her near post. Elise Salmond had space and time in the box to pick her spot, but Grant was determined to keep her clean sheet and made a great save low to her right.

There was almost a fourth goal for Queen’s Park as Cairney struck from distance hitting the bar and bouncing down. The ball looked to cross the line but the game continued and it remained 3-0. The action wasn’t finished just yet. Emma Gray was unable to continue with an injury and with no substitutes left, Stirling University were down to 10 players. With 9 minutes left, Stirling University were reduced to 9 players as Ceit Mcqueen was shown red for a kick out on Cairney.

Full Time: Queen’s Park 3-0 Stirling University

Queen’s Park: Lauren Grant, Ellie Kane, Ciara Bonner, Nicole Cairney, Abby Callaghan, Leah Daly, Sarah MacLeod (Abbi McDonald, ’67), Caitlin McKee (Carla Todd, ’67), Taylor Davis, Eleanor Smith (Sophie Bayless, ’85), Yasmin Boyce (Rachael O’Neill, ’75). Subs not used: Chloe Gibney, Lauren Ray, Hannah Fulton, Jaya Gill.

Stirling University: Victoria Scarratt, Emma Gullan, Holly Watson, Rebecca Hellgren, Sophie McKay (Ceit Mcqueen, ’52), Lucy Jackman (Emily Gray, ‘70), Ann Taylor (Carrie McGorm, ’87), Mariluz Sanchez (Elise Salmond, ’70), Athina Varnava, Shana Macphail, Penelope Kidd (Emma Kennedy, ’62). Subs not used: Jodie Baker, Amy Davidson, Jennifer Cunningham, Emma Fairgrieve.